Civilians

CHAPTER 7

3:00 pm. We tried calling Adonis from his bedroom but he wasn't answering. We didn't even saw him went out this afternoon.

"Where could he be?" Alexa wondered.

I am still wearing the white dress cause we can't take it off and I don't wanna ruin the dress.

"AAAHHH!!!" a scream field the air. Alexa and I rushed to the living room window to peek what was happening but our view was too short, we can't see clearly.

We heard police cars are closing in, it must be Arus and his comrades. We heard the sirens getting louder. The police have arrived and tried to investigate what happened.

"It's Ottis' daughter and her family. It's the Mantias." We overheard a woman gasped.

"That's aunt Tessa", Alexa trembled.

Arus was heading straight to the front door and knocked. "Adonis! Are you there?" Arus called out.

Alexa and I immediately ran and went our way to the bathroom. Adonis was rushing went down and made sure we were hidden. I nodded before he closed the bathroom foor and went to the front door.

Why does he smells like roasted chicken?

He opened the door and talked to Arus. We couldn't hear what they were saying. All we can hear was loud mumbling.

We just heard the door closes and Adonis said we can come out.

Alexa breathe out, relieved.

We came out and Adonis told us that Tessa's family were killed same as Vivian's. We were trembling and Adonis tried comforting us.

"I think both of you should rest for a while. I'll call you later for dinner. You can stay at the guestroom." He offered.

I didn't had the chance to ask him about the clothes because he was kind of a rush.

He led us to guest room and we didn't converse more. We already knew Adonis is going to help Arus to take care what just happened earlier.

Alexa and I laid in the bed As Adonis closed the door and we fell asleep.

___

It was night I suddenly woke up and saw Alexa beside me. She was in deep sleep and I didn't bothered waking her up.

I looked at the wall clock just across the bed and it says it's almost 7:00 pm. I was going to get a water, but I heard the front door closed. I took steps lightly to the front door and saw Adonis went out of the house.

Where is he going?

I followed him quietly, avoiding to be seen. He was walking for 5 minutess now and was carrying something. I can't  see it clearly beacuse he was keepong it closely to himself. It looks like a prop for his act. I can tell because I saw one in his living room.

He turned his way to an alley. I ran quietly to keep him in my sight. When I entered the alley he was nowhere to be found. I just walked down the alley that leads to the plaza.I lost him.

I suddenly heard people crying, not so far. They were like begging. I followed the noises and led me to back stage of the plaza. Just like where we found Vivian and her family's corpses. As I was closing in I saw a man's shadow with a sharp thing. It's long and it went through the body. I saw liquid shadows splashing.

I stepped closer to see who it was but I slipped but I was able to catch up with my balance. The man stabbing the people heard me and ran away quickly to the other direction.

I went closer to the scene. My eyes widened,my whole body freeze and wasn't able to step closer. My knees lost its strength and I fell down bending one knee to the ground and the other trying to regain its strength. My left hand slowly rising up just beside my mouth while shaking. My mouth was slightly open. My chest was lifting up and down rapidly to catch my breath.

It was like the other night. Eyes were pulled out and covered with blood. The man, looks like the father was hanging to the armrest of an old bench. There were two kids just below a lady. The lady was lying flat on her belly while her hands covering the kids by her chest and head looking at the direction of the father.

I heard someone approaching quickly. I turned around and saw Arus. He stopped and was surprised of what he saw.

"I... I" I stuttered while slowly getting up. He moved in closer while I stepped back slowly shaking.

He just passed through me and checked the bodies if someone is still alive.

"uggghh…" the man grunted.

Arus leaned closer to help him, "Who did this?", Arus asked.

"The… grand…..child. It was…

the gr-grandchild…" he took a deep breath and dropped his head hard.

Arus turned inhaled slowly, turned his head and glared at me. I panted so bad I was about to faint.

"You…!" Arus spoke with croaked voice and anger.

"Wha… I didn't do it…" I uttered while I was about to cry.

"Avica… what did you do…" I turned and saw Adonis behind me about 5 meters away.

"I-I I didn't do it… I-I I saw a man! He ran… and I came and…" I spoke as I was trembling.

"Cut the crap Adonis!She didn't do it!  You did this!" Arus stood up and pointed at Adonis.

Adonis acted shocked and denied the accusation, "What? What are you talking about? Of course I didn't do it. She did it! She was the one who saw the bodies."

"How did you know that she found the bodies first before I do? You just arrived here." Arus probed.

Adonis stuttered, "I… she… she did it! No one else can. She…" While Adonis can't speak up clear, we saw Alexa running fast close to us holding a book.

"Avica! Arus!" Alexa called, "It's him! He's the grandchild of Robert Tyven! I knew it! I found the record book at his room and all the eyes that were taken from the dead bodies!"

Arus stood up straight and grabbed my arm pulling me behind him.

Adonis glared at Alexa, "You brat! You entered my room without permission! Hand me that book at once!" he shouted.

"Alexa stay behind me." Arus demanded and went by my side.

"Avica…" she stared at me, "… I've read the book Mr Rox recorded everything here." Alexa uttered while panting.

"That doesn't belong to you! That's mine! It belonged to my great-grandfather!" Adonis wailed.

"Mr Rox was never your great-grandfather! Robert is and you know that! You hated Ottis because he knew and read some parts the book! You planned to kill him a long time ago but you waited for the day Avica runs to him. So that you can accuse Avica for killing grandpa!"  Alexa stated madly that she was about to loose her voice.

"You did kill them. It all makes sense now…" I figured , "the time at the plaza you just arrived in the crime scene. Where were you supposed to be? A host doesn't just leave his events."

Adonis stiffened lightly, "I changed my clothes. Arus tell her you saw me..."

"I did saw you. You were all black before you changed back to your cocky costume..." Arus looked straight at Adonis and the tension was high. "That mustn't be a coincidence does it?"

Adonis breathe hardly. "It can't be me! I must have been framed!"

"Earlier, when Tessa and her family died… you told us you would get some clothes but you took so long to return." Alexa added. "You went down when Arus started knocking-"

"Your clothes were crumpled. It's like you were in a hurry." I cut Alexa.

"Yeah! You never let your clothes crumple. Just like you always say 'artists should always look presentable'". Alexa quoted with here fingers up in the air.

"As we studied the crime scene earlier, we saw  that the Mantias has left their kitchen. Looks like they are preparing for dinner. They cooked roasted chicken..." Arus emphasized. "When we were talking earlier, I can smell the smoke from that roasted chicken in your clothes. Where you supposed to have dinner with them?"

Adonis closed his fist and opening again as he spoke "...maybe smell captured my clothes when we got to their house or when I got closer to the corpse."

"Yeah maybe..." Arus nodded plafully while I stare at him but his head was facing straight to Adonjs "But the thing is... I smelled it when you opened your door." He gave a sly smirk.

"Just cut the crap Adonis!!  You are busted!! You killed them! Even my grandpa!!" Alexa bursted out anguished.

Adonis gave a chuckle and shook his head. "Haaa.." he sighed smiling devilishly towards us. "I should've killed you with them Alexa, but I realized you were too young. But hmm .. age doesn't matter, do they?"

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